Dr Furqaan Ahmed is one of the leading gastroenterologists in Pakistan. He is a graduate of the Aga Khan University Medical School in Karachi, Pakistan. Following this, he went to the United States where he completed a post doctoral research fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, residency training in Internal Medicine and then pursued a clinical hepatology fellowship, with particular emphasis on the treatment on the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection, at the Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, a joint program at the Weill Medical Center of Cornell University and Rockefeller University.

Dr Furqaan Ahmed completed his gastroenterology fellowship training at New York Hospital and the Weill Medical Center of Cornell University in New York City. He then completed a one-year endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) training at the University of California, Davis in Sacramento. Finally, he completed a one year advanced endoscopy fellowship in ERCP at the Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana. The ERCP program at Indiana University is the largest in North America and is one of the largest pancreatobiliary centers in the world with a world renowned faculty.

Dr Furqaan Ahmed is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and has subspecialty board certification in Gastroenterology. He was recently elected Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and the American College of Gastroenterology (FACG). He has been published in numerous international medical journals and has co-authored several chapters in well known Gastroenterology text books. He recently published his second book, a monograph on intra-abdominal tuberculosis.

After completing his training in the United States, Dr Furqaan Ahmed moved back to Karachi, Pakistan in 2008. He is a full-time consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at South City Hospital and visiting faculty at the Aga Khan University Hospital where he teaches medical students and post-graduate gastroenterology trainees. Dr Ahmed’s clinical practice encompasses a wide spectrum of gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Dr Furqaan AhmedMBBS, Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology) Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine (Internal Medicine) Fellow in Gastroenterology, New York-Presbyterian HospitalConsultant Gastroenterologist

Clinic:Monday to Saturday: 10:30am to 1pmMonday to Friday 4:30pm to 5:30pm

Dr Saad Khalid Niaz graduated in 1986 from Dow University of Health Sciences and proceeded to the UK for his post-graduation where he acquired his MRCP (Member of the Royal College of Physicians) followed by his Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) in Medicine and Gastroenterology upon completion of his training from the West Midlands, UK.

After having worked in the UK for 12 years, he returned to Pakistan in 2001. He was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (London) in 2008. He is currently a honourary consultant and Director of Endoscopy at Surgical Unit 4, Civil Hospital, Karachi.

Dr Saad Niaz has performed over 25,000 basic and advanced endoscopic procedures, including colonoscopy, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) to remove cancerous or other abnormal tissues (lesions) from the digestive tract, removal of large colonic polyps, Colonic Stent and Dilatation. His ERCP expertise is recognized nationally and internationally with success rates and complications comparable to those at the best centers in the world. (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or ERCP is a technique that combines the use of endoscopy and fluoroscopy to diagnose and treat certain problems of the biliary or pancreatic ductal systems.)

He is the only one in the country doing Spyglass Cholangioscopy (to look at the bile ducts), Enteroscopy (for the visualization of the small bowel) and Capsule Endoscopy (which uses a pill with a tiny camera). Dr Saad Niaz is also a pioneer in this field for introducing procedures such as the Oesophageal metallic Stent Placement, Single Balloon Enteroscopy, Endoscopic Pancreatic Pseudocyst Drainage, Colonic Stenting, Spyglass Cholangioscopy, Sphincteroplasty for the removal of the large bile duct and advanced pancreatic therapy.

His research has been presented and published nationally and internationally on a wide range of topics including the ERCP, oesophageal stricture and stent placement, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hepatitis C, the variceal bleed, bile salt malabsorption and capsule endoscopy. He is a reviewer for the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association, the Journal of the Pakistan Society of Physicians and Surgeons and the Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences. He has been awarded the presidential Tamgha-e-Imtiaz award in recognition of his services to the field of medicine.

Dr. Jafri is a very well-known Hepatologist/ Gastroenterologist in Pakistan and he has earned a great name in Pakistan and the region. After obtaining initial training in medicine and gastroenterology in the United Kingdom (UK) he was trained in Hepatology at the University of Miami, Florida working with Dr. Schiff. He introduced the art of gastroenterology and Hepatology in Pakistan when he returned back in 1987 and since then he is at the Aga Khan University in Karachi Pakistan. Dr Jafri is a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Member of the Royal College of Physicians United Kingdom, Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, Fellow of the American College of Physicians and Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology. He was awarded the highest merit award of Master of the American College of Gastroenterology in 2018. He had been the Governor of the American College of Gastroenterology for Pakistan from 2012-2015.He is also the director of Karachi training center of the world gastroenterology organization since 2001.

Only in 2017-2018 He received the Life time achievement award from the Pakistan society of Gastroenterology in 2017, Life time achievement awards from the Prime minister of Pakistan in 2018, Distinguished Servicers in the field of Hepatology in South Asia by Prime Minister of Nepal on the occasion of the SASSL meeting in 2018, Distinguished services award in Hepatology by the Chinese Society of Hepatology 2018, Master of the American College of Gastroenterology award 2018, Distinguished services award by the Pakistan Society for the study of Liver disease.

He had been Chair of Medicine and the Head of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and is currently heading the Department for Continuing Professional Education (DCPE) along with his clinical and other responsibilities. He has over 250 peer reviewed publications in gastroenterology and Hepatology which are referenced in national and international journals. His research H index is 46, I10 index 135, and 9137 citations .He has published several book chapters as well.

At the AASLD he is a member since 2001 and has been supporting the special interest group of portal hypertension, and fatty liver disease. He is also an active member of AGA, EASL, IASL, APASL, PSSLD, and PSG. He has been member and chair of several national and international conferences in various capacities and has been a guest faculty to several national and international meetings as a speaker /chair/moderator. His research work has been presented at the AASLD, EASL, APASL, AGA, and many other meetings in poster or oral presentations.

At the national level he had been the general secretary for Pakistan Society of Gastroenterology, Vice President of Pakistan Society of Hepatology, and Founding President of Pakistan Society for the Study of Liver and is currently the Patron of that Society. At the APASL he had been the part of the executive committee and is currently on its advisory panel. His name has appeared in almost all the important guidelines of APASL which include Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HCC, Variceal bleed and portal hypertension and liver fibrosis. He has also been part of WHO 2014 guidelines on chronic hepatitis C. He has also contributed to the national guidelines for hepatitis B and C in Pakistan. He was assistant editor of Hepatology International and is currently an editorial board member of this journal. He has been editorial board member of liver International, World Journal of Gastroenterology, Translational Gastroenterology, Annals of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Journal of Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology, Dataset Papers in Medicine, Austin Journal of Hepatology, Pakistan Journal of Gastroenterology, Journal of Microbial and Biochemical Technology, Guest Editor of Hepatitis Research and Treatment, Journal of Dow university of Health Sciences, Journal of Liaquat University of Health science, Guest editor of International Journal of Hepatology and many more.

In Pakistan he has trained scores of physicians in the field of Gastroenterology and Hepatology who themselves are now professors and heads of departments at various institutions and training others. His contributions in the field of liver diseases and gastroenterology in that part of the world is second to none.

Dr Shanil Kadir is a UK trained gastroenterologist & hepatologist.He did his MBBS from Dow medical college in 2001 and immediately left for UK to persue further training.He did his MRCP and basic medical training in UK in 2008 followed by specialist gastroenterology & hepatology training from Manchester region, thereby achieving CCST. He did his SCE Gastroenterology exam and was also awarded fellowship of European Board of gastroenterology & hepatology. He was appointed as consultant gastroenterologist at a tertiary NHS trust in Lancashire UK, in 2015. He was the hepatobiliary lead and was involved in upper GI & Hepatobiliary cancer MDTs along with performing ERCP & Endoscopic Ultrasound on these patients. He was also the training lead of his hospital. He is also an examiner for the royal college of physicians UK. Dr Shanil Kadir is expert in both basic and advance endoscopic procedures like gastroscopy, colonoscopy, variceal banding, PEG, EMR, Dilatation, stenting, ERCP & EUS (endoscopic ultrasound) He was awarded Fellowship of royal college of physicians Glasgow and Royal College of physicians Edinburgh. Dr Kadir returned to Pakistan after working in UK for 15 years. Dr Kadir has published clinical articles in many international journals and has presented his work at international conferences. He is currently working as Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist at Liaquat National Hospital & Medical college Karachi.

What is endoscopy? Endoscopy is a nonsurgical procedure used to examine a person's digestive tract. Using an endoscope, a flexible tube with a light and camera attached to it, your doctor can view pictures of the inside of your digestive tract on a color TV monitor.

Why is Endoscopy performed? Endoscopy can be used to diagnose various conditions by close examination of internal organ and body structures. Endoscopy can also guide therapy and repair. A biopsy (tissue sampling for pathologic testing) may also be performed under endoscopic guidance.

What are the different types of Endoscopy? During an upper endoscopy, an endoscope is easily passed through the mouth and throat and into the esophagus, allowing the doctor to view the esophagus, stomach, and upper part of the small intestine.

Similarly, endoscopes can be passed into the large intestine (colon) through the rectum to examine this area of the intestine. This procedure is called a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, depending on how far up the colon is examined.

A special form of endoscopy, called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography, or ERCP, allows us to take pictures of the pancreas, gallbladder, and related structures. During an ERCP, bile duct stones can be removed, and tubes called stents can be inserted to overcome blockages in the bile duct and pancreas.
All of these types of endoscopy are performed daily at South City Hospital.

Why does one need an Endoscopy? Doctors will often recommend endoscopy to evaluate:

Stomach pain

Ulcers, gastritis, or difficulty swallowing

Digestive tract bleeding

Changes in bowel habits (chronic constipation or diarrhea)

Polyps or growths in the colon

In addition, your doctor may use an endoscope to take a biopsy (removal of tissue) to look for the presence of disease.

Endoscopy may also be used to treat a digestive tract problem. For example, the endoscope might not only detect active bleeding from an ulcer, but devices can be passed through the endoscope that can stop the bleeding. In the colon, polyps can be removed through the endoscope to prevent the development of colon cancer.

Also, using ERCP, gallstones that have passed outside the gallbladder and into the bile duct can be removed.

Is Endoscopy safe? Overall, endoscopy is very safe. However, the procedure does have a few potential complications, which can be discussed further with your doctor.

Who performs an Endoscopy? Endoscopy procedures are usually performed by gastroenterology specialists (gastroenterologists) who have undergone specialized and advanced training.

How does one prepare for Endoscopy? Examining the upper digestive tract (upper endoscopy or ERCP) requires nothing more than fasting for 6 to 8 hours prior to the procedure. To examine the colon, it must be cleared of stool. Therefore, a laxative or group of laxatives is given on the day before the procedure. Sometimes, certain blood tests may be required prior to undergoing an endoscopy.

Is Endoscopy painful? No. For examinations with an endoscope, a sedative is provided. This increases the comfort of the individual undergoing the examination. The sedative, which is administered via an injection into the vein, produces relaxation and light sleep. There are usually few if any recollections of the procedure. Patients wake up within an hour, but the effects of the medicines are more prolonged, so it is not safe to drive until the next day.

General anesthesia (puts you totally asleep for a period of time) is given in only very special circumstances (in young children, in patients with significant other medical conditions, and when very complex procedures are planned).

Dr Zuberi is a gastroenterologist who specializes in procedures such as upper and lower GI Endoscopy, ERCP (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), stone extraction and stenting, Sclerotherapy, PEG tube placement, oesophageal dilatation and stent placement, band ligation of oesophageal varices and haemorrhoids. He also does liver biopsies.

Prof. Zahid Azam is a graduate of Karachi Medical & Dental College of 1997. After his Internship from Aga Khan University, he completed his Medicine & then 2nd Fellowship in Gastroenterology from the same institution. He is a recipient of Aga Khan University Dean’s scholarship for Masters in Clinical Research. Further training in Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) was acquired from Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.

He is currently Professor of Medicine & Gastroenterology at Dow International Medical College & National Institute of Liver & GI Diseases, Dow University of Health Sciences. Before joining South City Hospital, he was serving as part time Consultant Gastroenterologist at Aga Khan University sine 2008. He is an experienced Gastroenterologist with expertise in advanced GI interventions like ERCP & stenting, PEG, dilatation of complex strictures, Endoscopic mucosal resections (EMR), Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) besides endoscopic polypectomies & band ligation. He is also actively involved in Liver Disease research with special interest in Hepatocellular Carcinoma & Viral hepatitis. Prof. Zahid Azam clinic is on Monday, Wednesday & Friday b/w 6-9 pm. Appointment can be taken from his PA by calling 0335 7244457 (0335-SCH-GILP)